The Delicious History of Jif Peanut Butter

As we gear up to celebrate National Peanut Butter Day on January 24, we are proud to highlight to this century-old household staple that includes many of our beloved brands, including Jif^®, Smucker’s^®, Laura Scudder’s^® and Adams^®. In honor of National Peanut Butter Day, let’s take a journey through the history of this favorite spread and shine a spotlight on Jif, America’s #1 peanut butter brand.

In 1895, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the Kellogg cereal pioneer, patented a process for creating peanut butter from raw peanuts. His goal was to provide a nutritious protein substitute for patients who had difficulty chewing solid food. By the end of the century, an employee of Kellogg had invented a machine to roast and grind peanuts making peanut butter a scalable manufactured food. 

Peanut butter’s popularity soared in the early 20th century, especially during World War II, when it became a staple in American households due to its affordability and nutritional value as meat rations were implemented and the cost of meat and other foods increased dramatically. Today, peanut butter is a beloved pantry staple enjoyed by millions around the world for many reasons, including affordability, nutritional value and deliciousness! 

There’s over 60 years of crave-worthy growth and innovation behind the peanut butter consumers love to scoop, spread and squeeze. When it comes to peanut butter, Jif is a clear household favorite – preferred over any other brand. Jif was introduced in 1958 by Procter & Gamble with a national launch, first with a “creamy-smooth” spread and then with a crunchy variety. Both jars featured the former colorful kangaroo Jif mascot, Jifaroo. The brand quickly set itself apart by focusing on quality and taste, ensuring that every jar was packed with the freshest, most flavorful peanuts.

1962 - Peanut Spread or Peanut Butter?
The brand developed a formula that retains spread-ability while increasing the amount of peanuts to 90%. This met the FDA’s standard that, for a product to be called “peanut butter” (instead of “peanut spread”), it must contain 90% peanuts. 

1966 - Choosy Mothers
Our classic slogan debuted: “Choosy Mothers Choose Jif.” It was updated to “Choosy Moms Choose Jif” in 1988. 

1971 - Molasses for the Masses
The texture, spread-ability and richness of our peanut butter got an upgrade when we started using molasses as a sweetener instead of honey. 

1976 - Crunch Time
Jif^® Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter arrived on shelves across the nation. It ended up beating out our regular Crunchy variety, thanks to the increased number of peanut pieces in every jar (and every bite).

1986 - Packaging  Refresh
Our jars switched from glass to plastic — it’s shatterproof, recyclable and reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated while shipping.

1991 - Simply Satisfying
Simply Jif^® launched, boasting low sodium with 33% less total sugar than Regular Jif Peanut Butter. It was followed by our Reduced Fat variety in 1994.

1996 - Peanut Partnership
We partnered with The Peanut Institute, a non-profit organization that supports nutrition research, educates the public and promotes healthy lifestyles.

2001 – The Marriage of Peanut Butter & Jelly 
Smucker acquired the Jif brand.

2003 - Welcome to the Club
We partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support their mission to help kids succeed.

2006 - No Jar Required
Jif To-Go^® Peanut Butter, a convenient and portable way to snack, was introduced. 

2008 - Our “Jif”-tieth Birthday
The Jif brand celebrated 50 years of peanut buttery bliss.

2009 - Going Natural
Our natural peanut butter line was introduced; first with creamy, then with crunchy varieties. 

2014 - Olympic Sponsorship
The Jif brand became a proud sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team for the Winter Olympics. 

2020 - Livin’ on Squeezy Street
Jif^® Squeeze hit the shelves, offering an easy way to add delicious Jif Creamy Peanut Butter to any snack or recipe — no utensils required. The same year, our #JifvsGif campaign went viral through a team-up with Giphy and a series of jar labels that replaced our usual branding with “Gif.” 

2023 - Save the Celery
We implored consumers of chicken wings to not toss out their celery sticks, but instead dip them in Jif Peanut Butter for a crave-worthy gameday snack. 

2024 - The Merger 
Peanut butter and chocolate flavor combine in irresistible fashion with Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate Flavored Spread.  

Jif products are lovingly made by over 850 Smucker employees across the eastern United States, including operations plants in New Bethlehem, PA; Lexington, KY; Memphis, TN; and Orrville, OH. Thank you to every employee of our spreads operations! 

As we look to the future, one thing is clear: Jif will continue to be a beloved American staple. With its unwavering commitment to quality and innovation, Jif is sure to keep spreading (see what we did here?) smiles for generations to come.

Everyday is peanut butter day with Jif! Here’s to many more years of creamy, crunchy, peanut buttery goodness! Happy National Peanut Butter Day!